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Two Candidates We Don’t Need

May 3, 2012
by Editor

First is Bill Lunsford. I judge him to be a good person. One of faith and strong ethics. He’s made some positive contributions to council’s decisions.

As important as these things are, the town’s issues one supports are fundamental. 1. He doesn’t support the two acre lot size requirement. 2. He doesn’t believe his basic task is to represent the voters by voting the way the majority of them want. He thinks he knows best without asking the people what they want. 3. He has never known an Annetta Council “regime” except the previous one run by a developer, which was an aberration. Our town has 30 years of history and most of it was very different from his experience. 4. I’m puzzled by his use of the term “re-elect”. He was selected by the council to fill a vacancy. At the election time in 2010, all councilmen whose terms were over were unopposed, and consequently he has not experienced being elected by the people. In short, a very good man with the wrong attitudes for what the town of Annetta needs.
(Click Read More below)

The second candidate we don’t need is Mike Brasovan. Again, a good man with the wrong attitudes.

He’s only been here something over six months. He’s not had time to learn about our culture. More than that he has shown that he has no interest in it.

We do need Larry Wood and Bruce Moore. I don’t like writing things like this, but our town is at the crossroads.

While the conclusions are my opinions, this is not unfair or untrue negative campaigning. I have heard the things my statements are based on with my own ears.

For four years I’ve been working to turn this council culture back to what it used to be – one that represents the people. I am Farrar Patterson, Annetta council place 5. I have been active in council matters off and on since the beginning, 30 odd years ago.

Comments

May 4, 2012
by aledoneighbor,
3 years 12 weeks agoComment: 191

With all due respect to Mr. Patterson, I'd like to address the issues he has raised in his online letter - starting with his LAST comment first.

Mr. Patterson says we don't need Bill Lunsford and Mike Brasovan? What we DON'T need are two men on the Council who violate state law and ethics codes, Mr. Patterson.

Regarding the term "re-elect" on Bill Lunsford's signs. Bill is the incumbent. Without getting too technical, Black's Law Dictionary defines incumbent as the person "currently in possession of the office" and courts have ruled that the incumbent could and should use the term "re-elect". To do otherwise would be misleading to the voters and could be considered an attempt to "hide" the fact of one's incumbency.

Speaking of signs, Texas state law CLEARLY states that EVERY political sign MUST include a disclosure statement noting that the sign is "political advertising" and must also note the person or group who paid for the signs. Large signs must also include a reference to State Law Chapters 392 & 393, which state that it is a VIOLATION OF STATE LAW for political signs to be placed in the right-of-way.
(See http://www.ehow.com/list_7300623_rules-political-yard-signs-texas.html#i... )

The large signs posted on Old Annetta Rd. on behalf of Larry Wood and Bruce Moore violate EVERY ONE of these provisions of state law and the political Texas Ethics Code. A number of Mr. Wood's small signs also violate local and state laws because they are placed in the right-of-way. This is not true of ANY of Bill Lunsford's signs. Either Mr. Moore and Mr. Wood don't know the law regarding political signs or they simply don't care. Either one of those is cause for concern.

As for Mr. Patterson's other comments...1) Bill Lunsford has been a driving force behind the creation of a Comprehensive Plan for the City of Annetta, which will not only address issues like the so-called "2 acre lot requirement", but more importantly will address a NUMBER of issues our city has faced and will continue to face in the future (as our neighboring cities have faced, sometimes in Court). That's why it's called a COMPREHENSIVE plan. It's about more than just the size of one's lot, and as a current Council member, Mr. Patterson should know that. 2) Bill Lunsford is one of the most open, "willing to listen" men I've ever known. He was approached to serve on the Council because of that trait (among others) and he has proven that fact time and again by asking questions, talking to residents, walking our neighborhoods, attending meetings and trying very hard to REPRESENT the people - all of the people - of Annetta. 3) To call any of our past public servants a "regime" is unfair and discounts the hard work and countless hours of good men and women who have served Annetta in the past. Those of us who have not been here 30 years do not love this community any less than those who have (I believe Mr. Wood has only been here a few years himself), and it was during the most recent Council's term that Annetta FINALLY gained control over the water system that serves more than 700 households in our community! To imply that this accomplishment was anything less than monumental is completely missing the mark. While that is certainly not their only accomplishment, and not the only issue facing the Council, it has been critical to our community and the use of the term "regime" is simply uncalled for.

While I appreciate anyone's desire to serve, I also appreciate it when folks get their facts straight. My mailing address may be Aledo, but that's not where my home is and I hope my friends and neighbors in Annetta will pay careful attention to the FACTS and vote to re-elect Bill Lunsford to the Annetta City Council.